By Libya Herald staff.
Tunis, 29 April 2015:
Operation Dignity has rejected an invitation from UN Special Envoy Bernardino Leon to join in . . .[restrict]the military platform of the Dialogue process. It says it is part of the regular army, not a militia, and that it takes its instructions only from the General Staff and the had of the armed forces.
It complained that Leon was treating it as just another militia. It did not negotiate or get involved in talks with militias, a spokesman said on Karama TV.
Separately, both Wanis Bukhamada, the head of Saiqa Special Forces and Jamal Al-Zahawi, head of 21 Brigade (Shuhada Al-Zawia Brigade) have said that the political dialogue “is dead”. Zahawi is reported saying that the “only dialogue in Benghazi is with weapons” while Fadel Al-Hassi, the head of Saiqa’s Investigations Unit, reports Bukhamada saying the UN process is finished and that the army is not going to be part of it.
Leon is due to brief the UN Security Council today on the situation in Libya. In its statement, the Dignity Operations Room also called on him to tell the UN to support it in the fight against terrorism and to lift the arms embargo.
The military statements follow the Tripoli-based General National Congress’ rejection of the latest draft proposal from the Dialogue. [/restrict]
